Arjuna said: "You are the Supreme Brahman, the ultimate, the supreme abode and purifier, the Absolute Truth and the eternal devinity you are the primal God, transcendental and original, and You are the unborn and all-pervading beauty. All the great sages such as Narada, Asita, Devala, and Vyasa proclaim this of You, and now You Yourself are declaring it to me.
O Krishna, I totally accept as truth all that you have told me. Neither the gods nor demons, O Lord, know Thy personality.
Indeed, You alone know yourself by Your own potencies, O origin of all, Lord of all beings, God of gods, O Supreme Person, Lord of the universe!
Please tell me in detail of Your divine powers by which you pervade all these worlds and abide in them.
How should I meditate on You? In what various forms are You to be contemplated, O Blessed Lord?
Tell me again in detail, O Janardana [Krishna], of your mighty potencies and glories, for I never tire of hearing Your ambrosial words."
The Lord said: "Yes, I will tell you of my splendorous manifestations, but only of those which are prominent, O Arjuna, for My opulence is limitless.
I am the Self O Gudakesha, seated in the hearts of all creatures. I am the beginning, the middle and the end of all beings.
Of the Adityas I am Vishnu, of lights I am the radiant sun, I am Marichi of the Maruts, and among the stars I am the moon.
Of the Vedas I am the Sama-veda; of the gods I am Indra; of the senses I am the mind, and in living beings I am the living force [knowledge].
Of all the Rudras I am Lord Shiva; of the Yaksas and Rakshasas I am the Lord of wealth [Kubera]; of the Vasus I am fire [Agni], and of mountains I am Meru.
Of Priests, O Arjuna, know Me to be the chief, Brihaspati, the lord of devotion. Of generals I am Skanda, the lord of war; and of bodies of water I am the ocean.
Of the great sages I am Bhrigu, of vibrations I am the transcendental om. Of sacrifices I am the chanting of the holy names [japa], and of immovable things I am the Himalayas.
Of all tree I am the holy fig tree, and among sages and holy men I am Narada. Of the singers of the gods [Gandharvas] I am Citraratha, and among perfected beings I am the sage Kapila.
Of horses know Me to be Uccaihsrava, who rose out of the ocean, born of the elixir of immortality; of lordly elephants I am Airavata, and among men I am the monarch.
Of weapons I am the thunderbolt; among cows I am Surabhi, giver of abundant milk. Of procreators I am Kandarpa, the god of love, and of serpents I am Vasuki, the chief. | |